CD Reviews

One of the all timers

J. Lieberman | Los Angeles, CA United States | 01/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes everything on an album just works. This is the first and only fIREHOSE record to capture the muscular intesity of their live shows and display the nuanced, subtle even, beauty of both Watt and Crawford's compositions. I Can't Believe is a love song for all time. Flyin' The Flannel is THE song to drive by, Down With The Bass is of course a bass players dream. Lost Colors displays Watts unique and unparalled ability to cram poetry and grit into the same verse better than any other artist. Plus, you get the tough guy stomp of Anti-Mysogeny Manuever and The First Cuss. Plus that really great/weird cover Walking The Cow. I love this record as you can tell, and it has been played once a week in every house I've lived in for close to a decade. "Treat yourself.""

For those about to jam econo, we salute you

Matt Scheidler | denver, co | 05/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Back when this album appeared, I was so enthusiastic about this band that I read O'er the Town of Pedro in a high school English class as a comparison to T.S Eliot, much to the consternation to my pinched-faced English teacher Mr. Mitchell. It's impossible to look at this, or any fIREHOSE album, alone--although it's a great album. It's important to look at it in the context of the Minutemen and the other fIREHOSE albums to see how Mike Watt dealt with the loss of his closest friend and partner in crime (see History Lesson pt. 2 on Double Nickels on the Dime and Contemplating the Engine Room for some poignancy). I still love this album not only for representing a moment in my life, but for being, in my mind, truly timeless music. This one is right up there with Ragin' Full On, If'n, and Live Totem Pole for the best fIREHOSE albums. I only give it 4 out of 5 stars, because I gotta reserve 5 stars for truly classic albums (like Double Nickels). This is scientist rock: experimental and raw. Mike Watt is a mad scientist on the bass, and his lyrics contain life-altering poetry for certain ears. For me fIREHOSE is a band dedicated to the recovery of a tragic loss, honest and personal, it's about doing what you do, doing it well, driving around in a van to get where you need to be to do it, and selling your own t-shirts to the fans. These guys are what rock (punk or otherwise) is all about."

This album rocks

Matt Scheidler | 09/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"firehose hits the spot with flyin the flannel~ my favorite of all the awesome firehose albums."